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Iorlas sighed softly. She didn't particularly want to talk about it, but she was getting to know her new family very well, and she knew that Lin would feel better if she did talk about it with her.

"It should all be very logical," she replied softly. "Dragons are animals. Animals, when killed, should not be wasted. They were trying to kill and eat Aranxia, Miyuki and Andarien. I understand that."

Her eyes brimmed with fresh tears. "But it does not make it much easier," she added in a whisper, turning away again.

"Thank you."

Iorlas pulled the blanket higher around her shoulders. "It's just ... it makes me think of Ioreth," she murmured. One hand came up and she stroked the thin white scar on her cheek. "I think ... I don't think I'll ever feel as much pain as I did then. There was no choice then, either, but ..."

She shrugged one shoulder.

Iorlas nodded. "I know."

She sighed. "I just want to remain here until after they've burned the remains. I would be glad of your company, if you wish to stay."

She looked over at Lin. "And how are the children holding up?" she asked softly. "I'm sorry ... so busy thinking of myself that I forgot to ask about them."

Iorlas smiled ever so slightly, the corners of her mouth turned up just the smallest little bit.

"I'm glad," she murmured. "I hope their dreams are peaceful."

Lin and Earendil stayed with Iorlas just a little bit longer before they returned to their own rooms.

After that, the children no longer went anywhere on their own outside the city. Two days after the incident in the cave, Andarien visited the jeweler again and spent the day there, perfecting the watch that he had designed, and came away with two of his own, as well as leaving one behind for the jeweler himself. Miyuki's friends had their weddings, and all the while preparations continued for the upcoming royal wedding. Search parties ventured out to the caves to look for more dragons, though Aerin also made clear that their search was to be reconnaissance only, and fight only if they were first attacked.

Then, two weeks after the children had been attacked, came the wedding itself.

It was to be an all-day affair. The ceremony would take place in the morning, followed by hours of feasting, to which every single person in the country was invited. Plans had been made to hold the wedding just south of Wing Hove, in the open area between the city and the town, so that no one would have too far to go and there would be plenty of space. But it was not quite an open-air affair: two large shelters had been built to shield against the late-winter winds. The first for the ceremony itself, and the second to shield the food and musicians. Seating was primarily based on time of arrival, though the front was reserved for royalty and special guests, which of course included everyone from the ship.

As people began to arrive and be seated, musicians were already playing - and at the forefront of them was the woman from the shop in Wing Haven, playing a harp that was easily as big as she was. Aethos was already on the dais at the front. He was dressed in a tunic the colour of a blazing fire, trimmed in gold, which made his fiery hair seem all the brighter.

Aerin behind him, was dressed in her usual green, though even she was dressed up for the occasion: her long gown began at the shoulders in a grass-green colour and faded into a dark hunter's green the lower it went. The colour was broken up by small sequins that matched the dress perfectly, but whose reflection of light gave it a life of its own, and by a pale golden belt around her hips.

"Nana," Andarien asked as they made their way to the place where the wedding was to be held, "why is it that Aethos and Alassëa's wedding is so big but Miyuki's friends' weddings were just little?"

Like Miyuki, he had spent so much of his life around royalty - as royalty - that he didn't quite see the difference between them and the common people.

He of course had been dressed in his best clothes and had his shoes shined, and he had only complained about having to leave his Pokemon back in the palace.

A wedding is not a place for pets, Earendil had said firmly; and though Andarien had pouted, he had not changed his father's mind.

"Ahhh, I see," Andarien nodded. "Okay."

He fixed his eyes on the upcoming shelter. "What's it going to be like?"

Earendil smiled. "Well, we none of us have been to a big wedding here before," he replied, "so we don't really know. Every country has their own traditions when it comes to weddings, especially royal weddings because they're so big."

Andarien blinked up at his parents. "What was it like when you got married?" he asked curiously.

Earendil grinned right back at Lin, because the one from her had been just as much a surprise for him. He was unaccustomed to women doing the proposing, so he had not expected it in the least.

Andarien was surprised, though.

"So not everyone gives promise feathers?" he asked. "I mean, I know not everyone has feathers, but ..."

A look of confusion crossed his face. "But what do they give if they don't give feathers?"